A new outreach program coined “DIY Prosthetics” introduces Long Island K-12 students to the basics of engineering design. More than 50 pre-college students of diverse backgrounds (gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic class) have participated in the program and crafted their own cardboard prosthetic hand using only simple household items. The project’s goal was to provide supplementary education to children ages middle school to high school and to inspire the next generation of STEM workers.

Students creating a prosthetic hand. 

“The University Community Relations Office is proud to bring the campus and grade schools together for exploring career paths and learning new concepts,” said Joan Dickinson, assistant vice president of community relations. “The DIY Prosthetics project is a great example of SBU’s engagement and commitment to serving Long Island.”

Developed together by Stony Brook’s Dr. M. Ete Chan and Michael Ly ’22, the program aims to foster community relations between the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) and local Long Island organizations through a cross-collaborative approach.

During the program, students are taught the fundamentals of iterative design and learn about various prosthetic devices through notable references and representations in pop culture, such as Luke Skywalker’s prosthetic hand from Star Wars. Students also gained insight into how musculoskeletal tissue acts to move the body and how model components like cardboard, drinking straws, and string together attempts to replicate this functionality.

Each event offers students an adapted look into the BME field based on their age group and the employed teaching method.

“Partnerships and collaborations expand opportunities and open doors for scholars. By Joan Dickinson connecting our LILTA summer scholars with the SBU Department of Biomedical Engineering, our students were afforded a meaningful STEM activity to better understand the concept of prosthetics,” said Dafny Irizarry, president of the Long Island Latinos Teachers Association.

The “DIY Prosthetics” series provides an exciting opportunity for pre-college students to learn about engineering over the summer months. The outreach program plans to continue promoting early interest in STEM education throughout the next future years.

Read the full story: https://news.stonybrook.edu/homespotlight/biomedical-engineering-academy-provides-hands-on-experience-to-middle-school-students/